Magic Johnson Wants NFL Back in LA, to Own Dodgers?

Last year, Magic Johnson started making noise about bringing the NFL back to Los Angeles, and he’s still pushing that same agenda quite aggressively (along with the possibility of one day, perhaps, also owning the LA Dodgers.) From the LA Times: “Magic Johnson’s boisterous laugh and filibustering masked his interest in possibly purchasing the Dodgers: ‘If the Dodgers ever came up for sale, would I take a look at it with some other people? Of course you would look at it. The brand is so strong. But as we speak today, they do have an owner.’ Johnson’s smile and recollection as a Rams and Raiders season ticket holder when they played in L.A. revealed his outward interest in being part of AEG’s ownership group should an NFL team return to the City of Angels: ‘Yes, because I’m such a big football fan.’ … ‘It’s never good to talk about an organization that already has an owner,’ Johnson said. ‘But I will say this, the Dodger brand is a amazing. What the O’Malley family used to do they were great owners.’ Talk over an NFL team returning to Los Angeles had long been considered a pipe dream. But it’s appeared to be more than wishful thinking, as AEG’s Tim Lieweke will find out by the end of the month whether the L.A. City Council will issue roughly $300 million in bonds and approve the just-completed memorandum of understanding for a stadium deal. Johnson acknowledged being a part of L.A.’s future NFL team should it happen remains a bigger priority than purchasing the Dodgers. ‘I am working hard with Tim Leiweke and AEG to bring football and the NFL back to our city,’ Johnson said. ‘I’m hoping that will happen. I would love to be a part of the ownership group with Tim. Right now, first we got to get the city council to vote to approve. If that happens, I will look to be a part of the ownership group.’”